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MAHANOY CITY — It was a challenge, an adventure and a test of skill and endurance for Mahanoy City resident Dan Wowak as he headed to a South American wilderness area in a popular television series called “Alone.” The headline on the series website states
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For Kayla Maneval, 17, of Auburn, drawing a 2012 Pennsylvania elk tag led to her experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime hunt when she took this cow on the first day of the season.

AUBURN - At the rate Kayla Maneval, 17, is checking off what one can only described as once-in-a-lifetime experiences from a yet-to-be compiled "Bucket List," it is difficult to project what accomplishments await the Auburn resident.

Who knows, perhaps she will be the nation's first female president. If not, certainly her finding a cure for the common cold seems a possibility.

A senior at King's Academy in Mohrsville, Berks County, Maneval has already traveled half a world away two years ago to Bulima, Tanzania. There, she spent three weeks on a mission trip as a member of her church's youth group at their sister school.

Now comes her latest once-in-a-lifetime adventure, that - to borrow the hook from a certain outdoors television program - begs one to ask, "Where in the world is Kayla Maneval?"

Well, exactly one month ago this weekend, Maneval and her entourage were getting themselves settled in upstate Hick's Run Outfitters in Driftwood. Owned and operated by Jeff and Janet Colwell, the business specializes in guiding those who have drawn a Pennsylvania Game Commission elk tag.

In just Maneval's second year of applying for the lottery, she beat the odds and was selected in the random drawing from the 18,613 applicants to receive one of the 46 tags issued to hunt a cow elk. In five years of hunting, she had taken various species of small game, a spring gobbler and two deer - a buck and a doe.

"When I came home from school the day of the drawing, my Dad did everything he could to get me to go online and check the results of the drawing," Maneval said. "I finally gave up because our dial-up is so slow and asked just what it was that he wanted me to see."

Earlier in the day, Dennis Reed, a friend who had been watching the PGC live webcast of the drawing, informed Allen Maneval that his daughter had been selected to receive a tag. Soon, the news of her good fortune spread, and outdoors videographer Ron Koch, Auburn, made arrangements to film the hunt for his "Outdoor Buddies" television program.

Hunting on the opening day of the elk season Nov. 5, Maneval came up empty that morning and after lunch her guide Cody Ball suggested they check out a productive area known as "Heavenly Daze." They had scouted that area Saturday and had seen a herd of approximately 70 elk in a meadow.

The decision to switch hunting locations soon paid dividends.

"We heard someone yelling the in distance and learned there was a bull and six cows up ahead, but when we found them, they were about 200 yards away," Maneval said. "One of the things that all of the hunters have to do when they get into camp is shoot at 200 yards, and I was using my Dad's .270, so I had confidence that I could make the shot."

Maneval's confidence should have been at an all-time high after taking part in the shooting competition Sunday that has become a tradition at Hick's Run Outfitters. All the competitors shoot the same rifle, which Colwell provides, and when the results were in she had won the $75 pot with a three-shot group that had two rounds through one hole.

As every hunter knows, however, punching paper and keeping calm enough to make a fatal, humane shot on a game animal is, while theoretically the same action, like referring to both Roy Orbison and Ozzy Osbourne as "singers." Maneval fortunately was able to find a deadfall to use it as a rest to steady her aim - if not her nerves.

"My first shot was low, but the second shot hit the cow," Maneval said. "It was still standing, so Cody told me to shoot again, but I guess I was excited and the shot was low.

"I knew my second shot had hit, but I wanted to make sure, so I held high and aimed over the back with my fourth shot. This time, it was right on and the cow dropped."

Maneval's trophy had an estimated live weight of 480 pounds and was one of 33 cows taken during elk season. In addition to her memories, and a well-stocked freezer, she is having the hide tanned with the hair to display.

"I enjoy hunting and I enjoy being around animals," Maneval said. "I've been thinking about becoming a veterinarian, but I'm really not sure what I want to do.

"There is a need for veterinarians in the Army, so I'm thinking that's something I'd like to do. Right now, I'm still not sure."

Based on what Maneval has accomplished thus far in her young life, it seems a sure thing that she will be a success in whatever career she pursues. 2012 Elk hunt results

According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, 52 elk were taken by the 65 hunters awarded elk licenses for the 2012 elk hunt, held Nov. 5-10. Of that total, 19 were bulls and 33 were cows.

Richard Tratthen, Jr., Scott Township, Lackawanna County, took the heaviest bull, an 8x8 with an estimated live weight of 840 pounds, Nov. 7, in Jay Township, Elk County. There were four bulls with estimated live weights in excess of 700 pounds that were taken by the following hunters:

For complete results of the 2012 elk hunt, access the PGC website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.

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